Where The Love Light Gleams
by GunBunnyCentral
Summary: A Bering And Wells holiday fic following Myka and Helena from Christmas to New Years'…
1. I'll Be Home For Christmas

Notes: Originally written for the Winter 2012 round of Shatterstorm Production's Femslash Advent Calendar.

Chapter Summary: She'd imagined this homecoming a thousand times in a thousand different ways, but had never imagined this sudden inability to simply walk through the front door of the place.

{*****}

_I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love,__even more than I usually do._  
_And although I know it's a long road back,_  
_I promise you..._

_I'll be home for Christmas -_  
_you can count on me._  
_Please have snow, and mistletoe,_  
_and presents under the tree._

_Christmas Eve will find me_  
_where the love light gleams._  
_I'll be home for Christmas,_  
_if only in my dreams..._

Amy Grant, _Home For Christmas_

{*****}

Helena stood on the porch of Leena's Bed & Breakfast, tiny overnight bag in one hand as she stared at the door. She'd imagined this homecoming a thousand times in a thousand different ways, but had never imagined this sudden inability to simply walk through the front door of the place.

It was a sad commentary on the state of her life, really - she stood on her own doorstep on Christmas Eve, her every worldly possession packed into a ridiculously small piece of luggage, heartbreakingly uncertain if the family she returned to actually wanted her home.

Helena saw a light come on inside and heard footsteps approaching the door. Before she could decide what to do or what to say to whoever opened that door, it flew open to reveal Leena, the inn's proprietress, beaming as if Helena were the the one person in the world she wanted to see just then.

Even so, Helena couldn't make herself move until Leena stepped forward and grabbed her hand to tug her inside. Once they were across the threshold, the other woman wrapped Helena in a welcoming, sisterly hug. "I'm so glad you made it after all. We were all so sad when Myka told us you wouldn't be able to get home."

Helena remembered every moment of that call - Myka struggling to hide her disappointment as Helena broke her word yet again, even if it wasn't her fault this time. The conversation with Claudia just after had been even worse, though - the young redhead had made no attempt to disguise her anger, both at Helena and at the Regents keeping her out in the field over the holidays.

Leena's warm welcome did more than Helena could ever say to alleviate that hurt, though, and she melted into the embrace, needing both the comfort and the feeling of truly having come home.

Leena, canny as ever, ignored the unshed tears shining in Helena's eyes. "I have some hot chocolate and some warm gingerbread in the kitchen if you're hungry. I had a hunch someone would need it."

"Somehow, I don't doubt that," Helena said, a genuine smile spreading across her face. She'd kept her distance from the other woman during her all too brief stay at the inn nearly two years back, but had seen enough to know that Leena had a unique bond with her home and the people living in it.

What Helena really wanted was to just go upstairs and curl up with Myka, sleeping somewhere familiar for once, beside the one person she loved more than anything else in the world. She was absolutely petrified of what would happen come morning - there was so much unspoken between herself and Myka that she honestly had no idea if they'd ever truly be friends again, much less become anything else - but those few short hours while they slept would be heaven on earth.

Of course, Helena's stomach had its own opinion - namely, that she never ate well at the best of times, much less when every nerve was on edge and jangling - and grumbled loudly. Leena just grinned at the noise and led Helena into the kitchen, setting a mug of homemade hot chocolate and a still-warm piece of fresh gingerbread in front of her.

Sipping at her own cocoa, Leena seemed to lose herself in her thoughts for a moment before she focused on Helena again. "We're a bit short on space right now, but I can get your room ready again over the next couple days. If I'd had at least some idea when to expect you back, I could have had it all taken care of."

Leena's irritation wasn't directed toward Helena in the slightest - she merely shared Helena's exasperation at the way the overly cautious Regents kept postponing any final decision on Helena's fate while they shamelessly took advantage of her willingness to do whatever was needed to prove herself worthy of returning to the Warehouse.

Helena read that in Leena's voice and expression, and grinned conspiratorially. "I think the Regents will find that things have changed somewhat after the holidays. I've done everything they've asked, regardless of my own feelings, and I think I've more than proven myself."

"It's about time," Leena said, though her eyes had that slightly vacant look that said she was reading every facet of Helena's aura just to be safe, which Helena couldn't blame her for. Whatever Leena saw there seemed to please her, and she reached out to place her hand over Helena's. "It'll be good to have you home - I'm sure Myka won't mind you staying in her room until we can get you your own."

Only coming from Leena would that statement somehow be free of any salacious undertones whatsoever - which Helena found amusing in its own way, given that Leena could surely see better than anyone just how deep every aspect of her attraction to Myka ran. The thought of everyone else's reaction, though, made her grin. "Pete will be insufferable when he hears."

Leena smiled back, amused as always by Pete's antics. "He means well, even if he has an odd way of showing it."

Leena's smile faded, though, as she looked up toward the ceiling for moment. Her expression when she returned her attention to Helena was serious and a little anxious. "Listen - you should know that Myka hasn't been dealing with your absence as well as she pretends to, and it only got worse after you told her you couldn't get back here for Christmas."

"Whatever it is, Leena, just tell me," Helena replied, suddenly feeling even more tense than when she'd arrived. "You know I want to help."

Leena nodded. "I promised I wouldn't say anything to anyone, but I think you should know - she has nightmares, bad ones, about you being out there all by yourself. I'm hoping that'll change with you home now, though."

Well, that certainly settled it. Helena was well and truly done playing errand girl for the Regents, especially if it was taking that sort of toll on Myka. She'd talk to Mrs. Frederick about finalizing her reinstatement - they'd gotten on quite well over the last several months, and Helena knew she worried about Myka as much as anyone did. More importantly, she knew that Irene shared her belief that she'd more than earned her place back.

Leena, as always, seemed to follow that unspoken train of thought, and placed her hand atop Helena's again. "I can speak with Mrs. Frederick for you, if you like."

It was a generous offer, given how prickly Helena tended to get when anyone implied she couldn't take care of something herself, and Helena was genuinely grateful. "That... would be lovely, Leena. Thank you."

"Any time," Leena said with a smile, and Helena could swear she felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders at the display of genuine friendship.

Leena glanced upward again, though, and the smile faded. "Right now, though, I think Myka needs you."

That was all Helena needed to hear - a moment later, she was slipping quietly into Myka's room to check on her. The curly-haired woman was sound asleep, but obviously lost in a rather unpleasant dream, and Helena stood there frozen for several heartbeats, unsure of what to do.

Then Myka called out Helena's name, and that was that - Helena thought for a moment that the other woman had somehow woken up and seen her, but quickly realized she was still sleeping. Hastily removing her boots, Helena climbed atop the covers - she couldn't quite bring herself to climb beneath them - and wrapped herself around Myka as best she could. "It's alright, darling - I'm here."

Myka seemed to quiet down at the sound of Helena's voice, and fell back into a calm, contented sleep. Helena never even realized it when she followed her a few minutes later.

{*****}

The first thing Myka became aware of was that she was warm - almost too warm - and that something heavy was weighing her down. She figured that the dog, Trailer, had snuck into her room again - he did occasionally get tired of sleeping in Pete's room - and went to push him off her. "C'mon, Trailer..."

Myka's eyes flew open as her hands encountered warm, solid flesh instead of fur - for a moment, she could hardly credit what she saw. Helena - the very same Helena who had regretfully insisted there was no way she'd be able to get back to Univille for Christmas - was sound asleep in her bed, having arrived sometime after Myka had fallen asleep herself. She'd apparently curled up against Myka during the night, and it was the warmth of her body and the weight of her limbs that Myka had felt.

It took Myka several heartbeats to accept that she wasn't dreaming, and several more after that for the shock to wear off. She hadn't seen Helena in person since the day they'd saved the Warehouse from Sykes - hadn't really been able to communicate much with her even after Helena's 'radio silence' had been lifted - and her brain simply could not fathom the fact that Helena was right there beside her.

Once the shock did finally wear off, though, Myka kind of wished it hadn't - out of all the reactions to Helena's return that Myka could possibly have had, the only one that fatigue and pent-up emotion allowed for was a sudden dissolution into tears. Myka hated being reduced to crying, feeling it made her look weak, and certainly did not want Helena to see her like that.

Shutting her eyes tight, Myka focused all her energy on getting her emotions back under control - of course, her tears stemmed as much from joy as from anything else, so she wasn't as successful at it as she'd have liked. She had to work so hard at it, in fact, that she never even noticed Helena stirring.

"Myka?" Helena, clearly awake now, shifted her arm so that she could wipe away the tears drying on Myka's cheeks. "What is it, darling? Another bad dream?"

Somehow, Myka was unsurprised that Leena had told Helena about the nightmares - with her freakishly unerring judgment, Leena had known it was the right thing to do. Attempting to seem at least halfway composed even as she sniffled a little and swiped at her eyes, she did her best to explain her upset. "No. It's just... you're *here*, and you said you wouldn't be..."

With that, Myka fell into another crying jag, cursing inwardly the whole time - this was not what she'd wanted Helena's return to be like. Helena, though, seemed unperturbed by the waterworks, pulling Myka close and just holding her until she calmed down.

Knowing Myka all too well, she pre-empted her apology, smirking a little as she spoke. "Don't you dare apologize for your reaction, darling - you have no idea how desperately I needed to know I was missed."

Myka went from weepy to spluttering with typically Myka-esque indignation, which was probably all part of Helena's plan. "What? Of course you were missed!"

Tears no longer threatened - that much had worked its way out of her system, at least - but Myka's brain was still whirling with what felt like a million questions, all buzzing around at once as she reached out to touch Helena's face. "But how-? When-?"

Helena put two fingers against Myka's lips to silence her. "Enough, darling - I'm home now, despite everything, and I won't be leaving again. Assuming you want me to stay, of course."

There was a lot of history, good and bad, that they'd never had the chance to work through, but some things Myka already knew past any doubt. "God, yes. It's just... not right when you're gone."

It was Helena's turn to get misty-eyed - she'd shed her own fair share of tears over their forced and seemingly endless separation - but Myka was kind enough to pretend she didn't notice. Silence fell after that, just as Helena had feared, but it was not the awkward, painful sort she'd been expecting - they were silent because they were both a little afraid to say anything until they'd regained their equilibrium, but they were also comfortable together in that silence.

Helena, at Myka's insistence, climbed under the covers, and they lay there curled up together as the rising sun began to fill the room with daylight. Despite the emotional upheavals of just moments before, it was so quiet and calm and cozy that they both nearly drifted off again.

Leena's knock at the door, calling them for breakfast, pulled them from their almost-doze. They smiled at each other, sharing their mutual amusement at being torn between hiding out in Myka's nice, safe room and joining their noisy, rambunctious family downstairs for breakfast - Myka's growing desire to let everyone know that Helena had returned decided that one, as if there had really been any question.

If either of them had been worried about how Helena's presence would be received, they needn't have bothered. Steve was reserved but warm as Myka made introductions, and Pete was so happy to see Helena that he actually hugged her - Helena, for her part, pretended to merely tolerate the display of affection despite being completely unable to carry the ruse.

Claudia's reaction as she stumbled out into the hallway and saw Helena there was, in its own way, as extreme as Myka's. The redhead hurled herself at Helena, nearly bowling her over with a fierce bear hug that would have made Pete proud. "HG! I knew you'd make it!"

They all started the trek downstairs to the dining room, though Pete took a moment first to playfully bump Myka in the shoulder and waggle his eyebrows suggestively - he actually looked disappointed when Myka just rolled her eyes. "Really, Mykes? Your girl sneaks home on Christmas Eve just to be with you, and you actually *sleep* instead of getting some?"

Myka punched him in the arm, but he laughed it off even as he rubbed at where she'd hit him. "It's okay, I guess. You two can just make up for lost time tonight - it'll give me a chance to pass out earplugs so the rest of us can still get some sleep while you two are-"

This time, Pete took the hint, though he still shot Myka a grin as he raced off to catch up with Claudia. Helena managed to catch up with Myka halfway down the stairs, and they walked hand-in-hand the rest of the way to the dining room.

Artie was already down there waiting on everyone, and Myka and Helena froze as he noticed their joined hands. Instead of being upset or cranky or even just somehow Artie-ish, though, he smiled and nodded as he murmured to himself. "Good."

Then he *did* turn cranky, as he, Leena, and Steve tried to corral Pete and Claudia, who had already given their inner five-year-olds free reign. It was the very epitome of family, and it was glorious - the actual breakfast itself was amazing, of course, and everyone got along so well that even Helena and Artie were happily bantering back and forth.

The rest of the morning was a bit of a blur to her, if Myka was being honest. She didn't really care what they were all watching on the television or what everyone was saying about it, not when she was curled up against Helena on the couch on their first Christmas morning together.

She snapped back to wakefulness, though, when Helena mentioned needing to go over to the Warehouse without her, a sudden surge of panic rushing over her at the thought of the two them being apart again. She felt more than a little sheepish when it turned out that Helena just needed to gather up her gifts for everyone, and didn't want Myka to see her present before it could be wrapped.

On the other hand, no one could really blame either woman for feeling a little separation anxiety after everything they'd been through. Somehow, though, Myka managed to let Helena leave her sight, after a quick discussion about where in Myka's room Helena should put her things, and a mutual hand squeeze for reassurance - a kiss would have been better, but their first kiss, when it finally happened, was not going to be for the entire Warehouse team's consumption.

Pete, for all that he shook his head at the lack of kissing, seemed to understand what was going on. He slid in beside Myka once Helena had gone upstairs, giving Myka someone comforting to curl up against. Being Pete, though, he couldn't resist a little teasing. "So, sharing a room already, huh? That was fast."

Something must have crossed Myka's face at that, however, because Pete's expression went from amused to concerned. "You okay, Mykes?"

Checking around the room, Myka confirmed that no one else was paying any attention to her or to Pete, and that their conversation would be more or less private. Sighing, she curled up a little closer to Pete, resting her head on his shoulder. "Not really. Helena's finally back, and all I can think of is how freaked out I am that we'll be sharing a room - and a bed - for a few days. I know it sounds completely ridiculous, but we've never been out on a date, or even kissed! I don't- I can't-"

Pete could tell she was getting herself all worked up unnecessarily - as Myka was wont to do - and just squeezed her hand. "Breathe, Mykes. It'll be okay - it's not like you two weren't joined at the hip before anyway. You'll probably love having her there."

He was probably right, of course - Myka had learned never to ignore Pete's emotional insight - but there were still parts of the picture he didn't have. It was the somewhat embarrassing, TMI part of things, which was why she'd never brought it up with anyone at all. "You don't understand, Pete. I haven't... with anyone, not since Sam, and never with another woman. I know I'm not ready - but what if she thinks that since we're sharing a bed..?"

Pete, any hint of teasing strangely absent, planted a brotherly kiss on the top of Myka's head. "Then you tell her you're not ready yet. That woman has literally given her life for you, Mykes - trust me, she'll wait. Take things as slow or as fast as you feel comfortable with - the important thing is that she's back here now, with you."

Myka, feeling much better somehow, thanked Pete by punching him playfully in the arm. "When did you get so smart?"

Pete just grinned. "I could tell you my secret, but then I'd have to steal all your cookies. I mean it, though, Mykes - just relax and enjoy having HG back finally."

Helena came back downstairs not long after that, and it seemed to Myka as if she could see the sadness and fatigue falling away from the other woman moment by moment. Even the jibes Helena exchanged with Pete just before she left for the Warehouse with Claudia and Steve in tow seemed happier, less brittle somehow.

The only time frame Helena could offer for her return was that she'd be back by dinner, so Myka decided to try and keep busy instead of just sitting around waiting. First, she helped Leena clean up from breakfast, scrubbing anything and everything within an inch of its life, then she went upstairs to get showered and dressed for the day. After that, she confirmed that all her gifts were properly wrapped and placed under the tree, especially the one she'd bought for Helena without even knowing if the other woman would be home - that turned her a little misty eyed again, but Pete took care of that quickly enough when he deliberately started pestering her about his present.

After that, Myka grabbed one of her Sudoku books and curled up next to Pete as he flipped through the television guide to find something to watch. Much as she hated Pete's habit of channel-surfing, it felt comfortable and right just then - had Helena been there too, it would have been absolutely perfect.

Finally, just moments before dinner was ready to be served, Helena, Claudia, and Steve returned, laden down with the various gifts they'd retrieved. They were all happy and breathless and pink-cheeked, lips ever so slightly blue, and it was clear they'd made time to play in the snow outside - it made Myka equally happy and breathless to see Helena so completely relaxed and... well, just plain radiant.

Everyone insisted that Myka and Helena sit together at the table once Leena summoned them - though Claudia, who'd missed Helena just as keenly in her way, called dibs on the chair on the other side of her - and neither of them felt the need to argue with the arrangement. Where breakfast had been light but filling, dinner was an all-out spread that had even the most self-controlled of them drooling a little.

Leena, as always, had outdone herself, and it was all amazing - even Myka, usually the least likely to do so, simply gave in to the inevitable and loaded her plate down with far more food than she could comfortably eat. Helena, though, took comparatively little, eating what she'd taken but doing so rather slowly - Myka, remembering that Helena had never been particularly good about eating enough at the best of times, was a little concerned until Leena caught her attention and somehow managed to convey that Helena was just fine.

Leena, as it turned out, was right - by the time she and Artie had finished regaling the table with various Christmas and Hanukkah anecdotes, Helena had eaten plenty and even moved on to dessert. Pete and Claudia, predictably, both completely lost control of their inner child in the face of a massive sugar rush and started clamoring to open presents the moment it appeared everyone was finished eating.

Helena, who seemed content and at ease in a way Myka had never seen, requested that she be allowed to hand out her gifts first. There was a happy glint in her eye as she asked that matched Pete and Claudia's, and it didn't escape Myka's attention that the entire household quietly banded together to foster it.

Helena gave Artie his gift first. His eyes widened as he looked at the pile of Victorian-era sheet music that he'd unwrapped, and he seemed as close to choked up as Myka had ever known him to be. Helena couldn't help smiling at the reaction. "The sheet music belonged to my mother - I learned to play, of course, like every other girl, but never really cared for it."

Artie, never one for displaying emotion, managed to mumble something both genuine and appropriate as he thanked her. It was an amusingly awkward moment, actually - most people would have exchanged a hug of some sort at at a time like that, but it was pretty much accepted that Artie and Helena would probably never, ever reach that point with each other. Finally, though, they shook hands, and it seemed to work perfectly for them.

Helena turned to Leena next, handing her an oblong package that turned out to be an extremely well-preserved Victorian doll. Leena, who loved such things, was clearly enthralled from moment one and vowed to find the perfect place to display it.

Helena, seeming a little anxious despite her smile, ran her hand through her hair. "It was one of Christina's favorites - she worked very hard to keep it looking like new."

"I'll take care of it," Leena assured her, pulling her in for a quick hug.

Attempting to recover from the slight waver in her equilibrium, Helena handed Pete his present. "I'm given to understand that you like all sorts of games, not just video games. I thought you'd like this one."

Pete - who loved board games as much as, if not more than, any video game he ever played - whooped excitedly when he unwrapped the antique Chinese checkers set. He also immediately began trying to rope everyone in the room into playing a game or two with him just as soon as they had the time - surprisingly, Helena was the first person he asked. "Man, oh man, HG - this is awesome! You know it means you're gonna have to play me, though, right?"

Helena graciously agreed, and Claudia bounced in place a little as she squeezed Myka's hand, sharing her excitement at the possibility that Pete and Helena might actually start getting along. They were both thinking the exact same thing - if even Artie could finally be brought around, then anything was possible.

Myka suspected that Claudia had helped Helena pick out the gift the she gave to Steve - there was just no way Helena knew enough about him to choose anything for him without a little assistance. However she'd gotten there, though, Helena's choice of gift proved as inspired as the rest of her presents so far.

"It's a first-generation Tesla," Helena explained as Steve held the firearm up to examine it. "It was mine, actually, back when I was at Warehouse 12 - I refused to carry a regular firearm. Sadly, it got broken during a mission and it proved easier to replace than to repair."

Steve, normally so reserved, just grinned as he batted Claudia's hands away from the old Tesla. "It's awesome."

Helena turned to Claudia then, holding out her gift for the redhead. "I thought perhaps you might help Steve repair the Tesla. You would, of course, require these to do so."

Claudia excitedly unwrapped her gift, squealing happily when it turned out to be a set of steampunk-looking tools of the sort Helena herself would have used during her days at Warehouse 12. Myka was pretty sure Helena still had hers, actually, and that she still used them - she couldn't suppress a smile as she pictured Helena and Claudia neck-deep in some project that threatened to explode or combust at any moment.

Claudia froze suddenly as she checked out the leather case the tools had been rolled up in. Her face went paper-white as her eyes widened, and she held the bundle back out to Helena. "I... can't take these, HG."

There was a shakiness to Claudia's voice that Myka didn't like, especially when she had no clue in hell what was wrong. Helena seemed to understand the situation, though, and apparently disagreed with Claudia's assessment of it. "Nonsense, darling - I insist."

Myka spotted the cause of Claudia's apprehension as Helena handed the leather-wrapped bundle back to its new owner - the leather had a stylized letter 'C' embossed on it, and it had clearly not been done recently. Only one other person with that initial sprang to mind - Christina Wells.

Helena's smile was a little sad, but she was genuine in her desire for Claudia to keep her gift. "I gathered these for Christina, darling - if they aren't to be hers after all, then I insist they be yours instead."

Myka felt her eyes sting a little as Claudia all but flung herself at Helena, wrapping her in another bear hug - she was reasonably sure that Claudia was tearing up a little too. "This is awesome, HG - just what I needed for some of the stuff around the Warehouse."

Recovering her composure, Claudia turned to Steve. "You ready to fix a Tesla, Jinksy?"

Steve totally was, of course, and they shared a quick high-five. Artie, being Artie, had to interrupt their excited chatter with one of his stock speeches about Claudia needing to observe proper safety procedures during her projects - Claudia, being Claudia, paid close attention to every word while also giving him all sorts of good-natured attitude to hide that she did so.

Myka took Helena's hand, searching her face to make sure she was alright, but she needn't have been concerned. Letting go of Myka's hand, Helena reached out to pick up a rectangular present, handing it to Myka with a huge grin. "I saved the best for last, darling."

Claudia suddenly got two or three shades more excited than she already was, and Myka jokingly feigned a twinge of fear as she examined her gift. She deliberately took her time doing so, just to tease both Helena and Claudia, until Claudia simply couldn't handle the delay any longer. "C'Mon, Myka - will you just open the damn thing already?"

Myka, grinning, carefully peeled off the wrapping paper to reveal a rectangular wooden box. She recognized it from the cameo-like design on the top as being the box that she'd stored Helena's grappler gun in until its heroic demise rescuing several Regents - including Pete's mother Jane.

Myka realized belatedly that she'd never told Helena what had happened to her beloved invention. "Uh, Helena - about the grappler gun you gave me..."

Helena just chuckled. "I already know, darling - I'm given to understand the poor thing died a hero's death, so I'm content. Now kindly open your gift, if you please, before Claudia perishes from the anticipation."

Laughing, Myka opened the lid to look inside the box. A gasp stole the laughter from her lips as she saw what lay inside - a brand new grappler gun, smaller and shinier and even more steampunk than its predecessor. It bore the hallmarks of both Helena's and Claudia's handiwork, and she suddenly realized just why Claudia had been so keen for her to open the gift. "You two made this together somehow, didn't you?"

The two women grinned conspiratorially at each other for a moment before Helena answered Myka's question. "I sent Claudia the designs, and she actually built it - I do believe she even improved somewhat on my original schematics."

It was silly, and juvenile, but Myka had to fight hard not to just bounce around on her toes with happiness as she hugged them both in turn. "I can't wait to test this out!"

That impulse to bounce gave way to amusement as Claudia and Helena fell into an impromptu, rapid-fire discussion on the grappler's specifications that left everyone else's eyes glazed over about thirty seconds in. Trailer, banished during dinner and largely ignored this whole time afterward, lasted a full two minutes before he moved in to whimper and nuzzle at Helena's hand as if looking for his own gift.

Helena, though admittedly not much of an animal person, had clearly already been won over by Trailer's canine charms. She patted him on the head and scratched behind his ears, actually seeming a little contrite. "I'm sorry, dear boy - I wasn't able to find anything suitable for you. Perhaps we can go to the pet store soon and pick you something out?"

Trailer, apparently mollified, gave a quiet bark and licked Helena's hand before going to lay back down by Pete with one of the new chew toys he'd been given. Everyone must have suddenly felt a tad guilty for leaving him out, because the dog spent the next several minutes getting coddled and fussed over, accepting the attention as if it were only his proper due.

Myka insisted on being the next person to hand out her gifts - in particular, she wanted to give Helena the gift she had taken a lot of time and trouble to find. Being herself, of course, all the certainty she'd felt in picking the thing out suddenly fled as she handed the wrapped package over to be opened.

Helena, though, was thrilled simply to receive a gift from Myka - the very first, actually - and would have been happy no matter what that gift turned out to be. Instead, it was her turn to gasp in surprise as she opened a small rectangular jewelry case to reveal an antique gold bracelet set with opals and watermelon tourmaline.

It was very similar to a bracelet - a family heirloom - that Helena had told Myka about, a favorite piece that she regretted no longer having. Myka had done her best to replicate it, and it was very close, though not exact. "I know it's different from the one you told me about, but it was so close that I had to get it for you."

The original hadn't had opal or tourmaline, but they were both Helena's birthstones, and the change had just felt right. Helena certainly seemed pleased as she held it out for Myka to place on her wrist. "It's absolutely lovely, darling."

Myka, concentrating on working the antique clasp, completely missed the impish glint that came into Helena's eyes. Taking advantage of their proximity, Helena pulled Myka close and planted a kiss on each corner of her mouth. "Thank you, darling."

There was nothing improper or even overtly sexual about it - save that it was Helena, kissing her - but Myka still flushed beet red and found herself stumbling for words. Claudia at least covered her mouth to hide her grin, but Pete started snickering outright - fortunately, Leena saved him by handing him his own gift from Myka, thereby distracting him before Myka could get annoyed.

Everything after that was something of a blur to Myka, who never never quite recovered from that kiss. She managed to pay enough attention to see that her gifts were well-received, and then to accept her own gifts from the others in return, but her mind wasn't entirely present.

Once all the gifts had been exchanged, everyone settled in to watch the game Pete had recorded - American football had never been Myka's favorite, but she liked sports well enough in general to enjoy a game or two on special occasions. If nothing else, it was an excellent cover for indulging the seemingly endless need she'd developed to be in close physical proximity to Helena.

It was, Myka would learn later, quite a good game - as it happened, though, she saw nothing beyond the first few plays. One moment she was listening to Pete and Steve argue about some penalty or other as they tried to explain the rules to Helena, the next she was waking up to the sound of Pete and Claudia snapping pictures with various cell phones - she'd apparently fallen sound asleep at some point, curled up against Helena, clutching her new grappler to her chest like some sort of bizarre teddy bear.

Claudia and Pete, as expected in such a situation, had made sure to get multiple pictures on multiple phones - in some sort of weird attempt to be thoughtful, they'd even used Helena's and Myka's phones to snap a few. The images, to be fair, were actually kind of sweet - fortunately, Myka was only half-awake and thus not really coherent enough to voice that thought.

The game was over by then - Myka had apparently stolen herself a nice three hour nap - and now they were starting up one of the many Christmas movies that had been dragged out for the season. It was one of the few that Myka actually liked and didn't mind watching again for the umpteenth time, but her eyelids started growing heavy again almost immediately.

When she got woken up again - this time by Helena, as she laughed at something onscreen - she'd somehow managed to shift around in her sleep so that her head was in Helena's lap. Someone, she noted vaguely, had taken the grappler from her and set it aside before she managed to accidentally fire the thing in her sleep - they'd given her a throw pillow to hold instead, which was much more comfortable and much safer.

The movie's final credits were rolling - make that a five hour nap, then - and Pete was setting up one of his video games for himself, Claudia, and Steve. Myka caught something about Pete not using his Chinese checkers set until Helena played the very first game with him, but she was still extremely groggy and all the conversation just sort of flowed around her without really sinking in.

"Myka, darling," Helena said as Myka's eyes grew heavy yet again, "perhaps we should get you up to bed."

Pete and Claudia both had to muffle their snickering at that - Steve, at least, just smirked a little. Myka and Helena apparently rolled their eyes simultaneously, which only prompted more snickering from the peanut gallery. Miraculously, Pete managed to avoid saying anything too terribly inappropriate - maybe he was trying to cut his partner a little slack after their conversation earlier.

Myka, still wanting to spend time with everyone, considered protesting that she wasn't really tired anymore, but it was already nine o'clock at night, and she was in fact still exhausted despite her nap. Of course, a good chunk of her sleepiness had faded by the time she told everyone good night and followed Helena up the stairs - it probably had something to do with the steadily increasing nervousness as they moved closer and closer to being alone in Myka's room.

It was every bit as awkward as Myka had expected once they actually got into her room, but there really wasn't much to do except move forward through it. Myka grabbed everything she needed to get ready for bed, and left Helena to unpack and get ready for bed herself as she headed for the bathroom down the hall.

Helena was apparently done unpacking by the time she got back, even finding time to change into her pajamas, and was occupying herself playing with Myka's pet ferret. She looked up with a grin as Myka walked through the door into the room. "Your ferret is rather more charming than I remember - he started doing the most peculiar little dance right after you left the room."

Myka couldn't help chuckling a little at the all-too-familiar image that conjured up. "It's called a war dance - Pete was saying he wanted to play."

Helena quirked an eyebrow at the name. "Pete?"

"We call him PJ," Myka explained, "for Pete Junior, but yes - he and human Pete are so alike that I just couldn't resist."

That was apparently the most hilarious thing that Helena had ever heard, because she just threw her head back and laughed - a long, loud, genuine belly-laugh. Myka had never heard anything like it from her, and tried desperately to ignore the way it just seemed to wash over her and roll down her spine.

Distracting herself by glancing around, Myka was struck by the realization that Helena had apparently had next to nothing to unpack. The idea of Helena roaming from hotel to hotel with no possessions of her own, and no familiar place to return to filled Myka with an unexpected anger. "Helena, please tell me the rest of your things are at the Warehouse somewhere..."

Helena caught the sudden shift in Myka's mood, and there was almost a pleading note in her voice as she tried to keep things light. "Don't, darling, please - I'm home now, and we'll buy whatever I might need once the stores reopen."

Myka couldn't ignore the plea in those words, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them again, she fixed Helena with her most authoritative stare. "Fine - but no more living out of a suitcase, okay? You said it yourself - you're home now."

"Indeed, darling." There had been many reasons why Helena had never truly settled in during her first stay here - reasons she and Myka would have to talk about one day - but she'd long since made the decision to move past her previous mistakes and actually accept the fresh start she'd earned.

PJ, sensing the sudden increase in Myka's stress level, responded by insisting that Myka play with him immediately. Myka let the ferret charm her out of her darkening mood - like his human namesake, he was quite good at it when the occasion arose - then went to put him back in his cage for the night, checking that he had plenty of food and water. Understanding the routine, PJ just climbed into the little hidey-hole that he'd chosen for his sleeping space and settled in without complaint.

By the time she was done taking care of PJ, Myka was able to recover something of her easy, relaxed mood from earlier. Pete had been right in what he'd said - whatever Myka and Helena had had to deal with over the last several months, Helena was home now, and that was all that really mattered.

Lost in her thoughts, she never even heard Helena pad up beside her, or heard her retrieve the gift she was now holding out. "I have one final gift for you, darling - though I couldn't quite bring myself to give this one to you in front of everyone else."

The light in the room glinted off the bracelet she'd placed on Helena's wrist, and Myka grinned as much at that as at the unexpected gift being offered to her. Helena seemed oddly intent on that gift, though, so Myka quickly moved to take it from her, wonderingly idly what it could possibly be.

Once she had it unwrapped, she suddenly understood Claudia's earlier attempt to refuse Helena's present. The rectangular jewelry case held the larger of Helena's two lockets, obviously cleaned and restored prior to being wrapped up. "Helena, I can't..."

"I'm afraid I must insist, darling," Helena replied, covering Myka's hands with her own so that Myka couldn't let go of the box. "When you returned this to me after Hong Kong, I realized that it felt right for you to have it - that I *wanted* you to have it."

Despite the lack of actual in-depth conversations during the time they'd known each other, Myka and Helena had always had a kind of instinctual understanding of each other that went beyond mere words. When Myka opened the rectangular locket to find Christina's image still in it and Helena's own picture now filling the previously empty spot opposite, she understood - Helena was trusting her with some small part of Christina's memory, the most precious thing she had.

Any thought of further protest vanished as Myka simply tried to let her understanding and gratitude show in her eyes and face. "Thank you, Helena."

Helena, pleased by Myka's acceptance of her gift, took the locket from its case and moved behind Myka to help fasten the chain around her neck. It was all Myka could do to keep her pulse and her breathing under control with Helena that close and her fingers brushing against Myka's skin.

There was no way Myka could hide her reaction, though, when Helena pressed a quick, almost furtive kiss against the nape of her neck. She shivered and gasped, which Helena took as permission to trail a few more kisses over to just below Myka's ear.

Myka knew she'd probably have to stop this soon, but Helena hadn't yet moved beyond her comfort zone. Willing, at least for the moment, to see where things led, Myka shifted herself around to face Helena - she definitely had no objection to finally getting that first kiss.

It was a good first kiss, too - sweet, gentle, and a little tentative as they got their first taste of each other. There weren't any earth-shaking fireworks - those were for later - but Myka was quite content for now with the undemanding warmth that slowly coursed through her.

Then Helena's hands slid up under her pajama top, and Myka abruptly reached her limit. She didn't pull away or remove Helena's hands, but she used her own hands to still them in place so that Helena understood to stop.

Myka struggled to form the words to go with her actions, but they seemed to have deserted her. Helena, fortunately, seemed to know exactly what Myka was trying to say. "Too fast, darling?"

The easy acceptance helped Myka find her voice again. "I'm probably crazy for saying this, but - I'm not ready, not yet. I still need some time to process all of this."

"I know this is something of a first for you, darling," Helena said finally. "Needing to take things slowly is perfectly understandable."

Myka figured Helena might as well know the whole story. "I haven't been with anyone in years, Helena - I haven't even wanted to be, except with you. My head and my body just need a little time to catch up to each other."

"Of course, darling." There was no way Helena could keep herself from smirking after a statement like that, though she did her best to minimize it. She got a little more serious, though, as a sudden thought seemed to strike her. "If you aren't comfortable sharing a room with me, darling, I can-"

"No!" Myka tamped back the sudden flare of separation anxiety and forced herself to respond again with a bit more rationality. "I mean - I want you to stay in here with me, as long as you understand that nothing physical is going to happen just yet. I- I should probably warn you that I'm a terrible roommate."

It was a weak attempt at a joke, but Helena smiled anyway. "I doubt I'll be much better, darling, but I expect we'll muddle through."

Helena moved one hand to brush a stray curl out of Myka's eyes, then brought both hands up to cup her face. "Just so we are perfectly clear, darling, we'll take things as slowly, or as quickly, as you feel comfortable with. All I ask is that you do your best to communicate those boundaries to me so I don't step over them."

Myka nodded her acceptance of Helena's terms, then leaned her forehead against Helena's shoulder. "I missed you so much..."

The fatigue she'd felt when they'd first come upstairs suddenly returned with a vengeance, and she struggled unsuccessfully to fight off a yawn. "Sorry - long day..."

Helena just smiled at that - emotionally speaking, it was quite true - and started guiding Myka toward the bed. Once she'd ascertained which side of the bed Myka preferred, it was easy to get the other woman comfortably settled and tucked under the covers - given that she was swaying on her feet, Myka didn't exactly argue.

After that, Helena turned off the overhead light. A small single light was still burning in the window, though - the same light, Helena realized, that she'd spotted from the yard when she'd first arrived. "Myka, darling - what's this light for? Shall I turn it off?"

Myka, barely conscious, was also barely comprehensible - she just mumbled something to the effect of having read about the light in a book. The final few words of her statement, however, were quite clear, and brought tears to Helena's eyes. "It was to help guide you home..."


	2. Let It Snow

Chapter Summary: It didn't take the others long to work out the other reason Helena was being so accommodating - with everyone else gone, she'd be alone with Myka for several days.

Note: _Carmilla_ - which I have Myka read from - is a vampire novel by Sheridan LeFanu, predating _Dracula_ by 25 years and known for its blatant lesbian overtones. Also, I snuck in another not-so-subtle _Sanctuary_ reference. ;)

{*****}

_Oh, the weather outside is frightful,_  
_but the fire is so delightful._  
_And since we've no place to go -_  
_Let It Snow!_  
_Let It Snow!_  
_Let It Snow!_

Ella Fitzgerald, _Let It Snow!_

{*****}

It took everyone most of the following day to fully accept and believe that Helena had finally returned for good - December 26th, in many ways, felt just as peculiar and surreal as Christmas Day had. It was a good kind of surreal, though - the kind familiar to anyone who has ever watched their family come together again unexpectedly after a long separation.

And, despite the lingering awkwardness, that was exactly what it was like, for all of them - with Helena's return, the Warehouse family was finally complete again. Of course, with typical screwy Warehouse timing, nearly everyone was scheduled to leave that evening to spend a few days with their individual non-Warehouse families.

Helena categorically refused any offers to reschedule on her account, insisting that it wasn't necessary - after the warm reception she'd gotten, she had no doubts at all that she was truly welcome. It was only for a few days, anyway - they would all be home in time for New Year's Eve - and Myka was staying behind to keep an eye on things, in exchange for a little extra time off when her new niece or nephew arrived sometime in the next few weeks.

It didn't take the others long to work out the other reason Helena was being so accommodating - with everyone else gone, she'd be alone with Myka for several days. Pete, displaying a maturity that she wouldn't have expected from him, pulled Helena aside as soon as he realized that fact, and made certain she understood not to push Myka too hard or too fast - the wonderfully frank conversation was one of the better ones they'd had, actually.

Pete needn't have been so worried, though - Myka was actually looking forward to spending several days alone with her new girlfriend. All teasing and innuendo aside, privacy was an extremely rare and highly valued commodity around the bed and breakfast. It also happened to be exactly what Myka and Helena needed at this point - there was just no good way to build a new relationship while constantly tripping over a houseful of people.

This had become readily apparent to both Myka and Helena within mere moments of waking up. Despite going to sleep so early on Christmas night, they'd both slept until mid-morning - probably due to neither of them having slept properly in months - and woken up to the happy realization that Helena's return was indeed real, rather than the dream they'd both feared it was.

Myka, in particular, had opened her eyes to find herself in the sort of happy, playful mood she'd given up hope of ever experiencing again. Helena had caught a little of those high spirits herself, and their simple 'good morning' kiss had rapidly escalated into a rather heated make-out session - they were on the verge of having to decide whether to stop or keep going when Claudia started knocking on Myka's door to see if they were up yet, thereby rendering the decision moot.

Myka and Helena had been more amused than annoyed - Claudia had been so mortified once she figured out what she'd interrupted that it was impossible to hold her bad timing against her. In truth, they also ended up just enjoying the lingering tension. It took them back to the seemingly brighter, less complicated days of Tamalpais and Moscow, before things between them had gotten so muddled and confused.

The hustle and bustle of everyone getting ready to leave had provided multiple opportunities for Myka and Helena to sneak away and pick back up where they'd left off - and to get caught out at it every time, which was half the fun. Pete teased the two of them mercilessly, of course, but that was just his way of showing that he was happy for them both - as was his sudden insistence on taking PJ along with him on his trip so that Myka could enjoy the next few days without any distractions.

By that evening, it was down to Myka, Helena, and Leena, and they spent the time playing cards and watching old black-and-white movies. Myka and Helena's inability to keep their hands off each other had faded over the course of the day to something easily satisfied by cuddling together on the couch, which was fine with them - and probably greatly appreciated by Leena, who wasn't leaving until the morning.

Surprisingly, nothing else really happened between Myka and Helena that night, or the next morning. They were content to fall asleep holding each other, and the kisses they exchanged after waking up didn't invoke the same haze of hormones that had snuck up on them the previous day - walking downstairs hand-in-hand to help Leena with breakfast seemed about the perfect level of physical contact just then.

The seeming lull didn't last much beyond that, though. They put Leena into her cab at 9 a.m., waving goodbye as it sped her off to the airport. By noon, Myka was riding out the aftershocks of her first Helena-induced orgasm.

It probably wouldn't have even taken that long if it weren't for the various tasks that needed doing at the Warehouse. No one was worrying about inventory, of course, but there were still various security and system checks to be run or monitored - Trailer took off immediately to do his usual canine perimeter sweeps, returning just in time to accompany Myka and Helena to the Warehouse's massive library.

Everyone, from Artie on down to Trailer, had their own little hideaway inside the Warehouse, a space all their own that they could retreat to - the Warehouse library was Myka's, and would probably become Helena's as well. The place was massive, filled with more books than both women combined would ever be able to read in their collective lifetimes - it was also supremely comfortable, with a fireplace and a scattering of worn, well-loved furniture to sprawl out on. Even Pete and Claudia had been known to sneak in there at times for some peace and quiet when things got particularly crazy.

Naturally, it was the perfect place for Myka and Helena - fellow bibliophiles - to settle into together on a cold day. Helena poured them both a little of the seasonal tea they'd brought with them while Myka started a fire, or whatever Artifact-induced equivalent passed for one - all Myka had ever cared to know about it was that it meant she could have warmth and ambiance without risking the precious books shelved nearby.

The book Myka had been reading on her last visit still sat on the low coffee table, and Helena picked it up to take a look. Seeing the title, she grinned. "_Carmilla_, darling?"

Myka felt her cheeks flush, though she wasn't quite sure why - except that her choice of reading material perhaps said a little more than she liked about what exactly had been on her mind lately. Pete would have had a field day if he'd learned that she was sitting off by herself reading a Victorian vampire story known for its blatant lesbian overtones.

Helena allowed the silence to linger for several moments before showing Myka a little mercy. "No need to be embarrassed, darling - I've always considered it much more interesting than _Dracula_. A... close female friend of mine had a particular fondness for it, and we took turns reading it aloud to each other."

_In bed_, Myka added silently as she took a closer look at Helena's expression. She wanted to be jealous of that other woman - whoever she'd been - but found herself completely sidetracked by the sudden mental image of lying in bed with Helena as they read erotic stories and poems to each other. It wasn't exactly a new type of fantasy for Myka, but Helena was probably the first person she'd ever known who would truly appreciate it.

"Darling?" Helena, who'd clearly been trying to get Myka's attention back for several moments now, was peering at her with an equal mix of amusement and concern. "Are you quite alright?"

Myka couldn't help grinning a little sheepishly as she cleared her throat. "Sorry - I, uh, got a little distracted. So I take it you did this 'reading aloud' with a lot of your 'close friends'?"

Helena smirked a little at that. "In the sense that you mean? Just the one - and you've no need to be jealous, darling. Helen was more what you'd call a very dear friend with certain benefits - I do believe that the two of you would have gotten along famously. Very famously, indeed."

There was no mistaking Helena's implication, but Myka found herself laughing about it rather than feeling embarrassed. Helena just rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "I'm quite serious, darling. She'd have taken one look at you and immediately begin scheming to steal you away from me - unless, of course, some arrangement could have been reached between the three of us."

Myka narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her nose, jabbing playfully at Helena's arm. "You are very, very lucky I don't get jealous that easy."

"Is that so, darling?" Helena drawled teasingly. "Then perhaps I should introduce the two of you sometime - dear Helen is very much alive and well, though I've no idea how. I believe she's living somewhere in the Pacific Northwest these days..."

There was just no possible response to that statement, but Helena let Myka flounder for several heartbeats as she struggled to form one anyway. By the time Myka had recovered her wits, Helena had settled into the armchair nearest the fireplace, somehow even managing to bring the book and tea with her.

Holding up the copy of _Carmilla_, Helena gave Myka one of her trademark smirks. "Care to join me, darling?"

The armchair was certainly big enough for two, and it did happen to be in the warmest part of the room - at least, that was Myka's excuse to herself as she hurried over to join Helena. In truth, Myka didn't mind having lost this round of whatever unspoken competition always seemed to fuel her banter with Helena, especially now that she was finally beginning to see that banter as the flirtation it had actually always been.

It left a pleasant sort of buzz in its wake that only increased as Myka settled into the chair with Helena. Helena, for her part, seemed to be similarly affected - there was something distinctly knowing in her eyes as she offered Myka the book. "Read to me, darling?"

After the conversation they'd just had, Myka couldn't possibly mistake Helena's meaning - Helena, however, had left her the option of pretending to ignore it if she chose to. Myka pondered that for a moment, and was pleasantly surprised to find that most of her hesitation had faded over the last forty-eight hours - she was still vaguely nervous, but the feeling had shifted to a sort of pleasant anticipation.

Myka, grinning, took the book from Helena. "So let me guess - I read to you while you do your best to distract me."

"Something like that," Helena replied with a smirk, shifting them both around so that Myka was sitting up straight in Helena's lap, and Helena could peer over her shoulder. "Now remember, darling, you promised to tell me if you need me to stop."

Myka nodded her acknowledgment of the reminder, though she was pretty sure she wouldn't be stopping much of anything. Helena slid a hand under the hem of Myka's sweater, resting it along the small of Myka's back as Myka found her place in the book - neither could see it, of course, but they were both smirking a little, each assuming they'd be the one to emerge victorious.

_"I now write, after an interval of more than ten years, with a trembling hand, with a confused and horrible recollection of certain occurrences and situations, in the ordeal through which I was unconsciously passing; though with a vivid and very sharp remembrance of the main current of my story."_

As soon as Myka started reading, Helena's hand moved up to unhook her bra. She didn't do anything else except that, but it was still enough to add an extra beat or two to Myka's pulse - Myka didn't let it worry her, simply enjoying the anticipation while continuing to read.

_"But, I suspect, in all lives there are certain emotional scenes, those in which our passions have been most wildly and terribly roused, that are of all others the most vaguely and dimly remembered._

_Sometimes after an hour of apathy, my strange and beautiful companion would take my hand and hold it with a fond pressure, renewed again and again..."_

Then Helena's hands slid along Myka's torso to cup her breasts, tracing out their every contour. Those hands were warm and gentle, the skin on the palm and fingertips ever so slightly roughened from a lifetime spent assembling unfathomable inventions in some workshop or other - Myka faltered for the first time as those agile fingers found her nipples, teasing them into hard peaks, but she forced herself to continue anyway, picking up right where she'd left off.

_"Blushing softly, gazing in my face with languid and burning eyes, and breathing so fast that her dress rose and fell with the tumultuous respiration."_

Helena upped the ante then, nuzzling at Myka's neck and nipping gently at her ear before trailing kisses down her cheek and jaw. Myka was actively squirming now despite herself, hips shifting involuntarily as they sought out stimulation that just wasn't there. Helena, chuckling, unbuttoned Myka's jeans and slid one hand inside them, splaying her fingers flat against Myka's stomach - once settled, however, those fingers stayed right where they'd been placed and didn't move at all.

_"It was like the ardour of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet over-powering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips travelled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, 'You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever'."_

As Myka quoted Carmilla's possessive words, Helena did too, murmuring them into Myka's ear with an intensity that sent a shiver down Myka's spine. Then Helena shifted slightly, using her knees to nudge Myka's legs a little further apart - Myka quit speaking entirely then as Helena's fingers finally slid along her abdomen to slip between her legs, gliding gently along the slick, damp folds they found there.

In truth, Myka had been wet almost from moment one - the battle of wills with Helena having proven so much more erotic than she'd expected - and she was beyond caring if she won or lost, so long as Helena never stopped what she was doing. Helena seemed to understand this somehow, fingers moving almost lazily between Myka's legs, teasing with a promise of penetration that she never actually delivered on.

Myka could have helped things along there, shifting her weight at just the right moment or even just telling Helena what she wanted, but this was Helena's game and Myka wanted to see exactly how Helena played it. That in no way meant that Myka didn't still help herself, of course - she unabashedly rolled her hips and pressed herself against Helena's hand, reveling in the pleasure she was being given.

Her orgasm snuck up on her - one moment she was moving slowly but steadily towards the edge, the next the ground simply dropped out from under her feet. She probably would have been embarrassingly loud about it too, if the suddenness of it all hadn't stolen her voice away - as it was, her harsh, rapid breathing and rigid body told the story for her just fine.

Finally, the aftershocks faded, her muscles unlocked, and she just collapsed against Helena, who was still holding her to make sure she didn't pitch forward instead as she relaxed. Myka could almost hear Helena's smirk in her voice as she provided the final line of the section Myka had been reading. _"Then she had thrown herself back in her chair, with her small hands over her eyes, leaving me trembling."_

Myka conceded Helena's victory with a laugh, moving off Helena's lap to snuggle in beside her - from Myka's perspective, the game had pretty much been win/win all around. After a moment, though, she recovered her wits enough to realize that Helena was not anywhere near as unaffected as she was pretending to be - Helena was hiding it well, but she'd apparently found her part in the game almost as arousing as Myka had found hers.

Emboldened by a sudden fit of playfulness, Myka unbuttoned Helena's jeans. Helena started a little in surprise - she apparently hadn't given any thought to the idea of Myka reciprocating - but didn't protest, so Myka slid her hand inside them and down between Helena's legs. Unlike Helena, she found herself unable to resist the urge to slip her fingers inside the damp heat they were exploring.

The chair and Helena's restrictive jeans didn't exactly lend themselves to the task, but Myka still managed to make it work. As she helped Helena ride out the aftershocks of her orgasm, she couldn't keep from wondering what the hell she'd been so damned nervous about in the first place - this, and everything before it, felt like the most natural thing ever.

Any further rumination on the subject - not to mention any chance at pillow talk - was shattered by the over-loud blaring of the Farnsworth. Myka moved to go retrieve it, but Helena, feeling playful, hooked her fingers on Myka's belt loops and wouldn't let her get up from the chair - it didn't work quite as smoothly as Helena had probably intended, given that Myka hadn't rebuttoned her jeans yet, but it did lead to a brief scuffle that left them both laughing.

Trailer finally brought the Farnsworth over to them, whining at them as if in chastisement. The dog took great pains not to scratch or dent the device with his teeth, and the strangely human-like behavior sobered both Myka and Helena up pretty quickly as they shared a moment of concern over Trailer's apparent intelligence level and just what his supposed mental bond to Artie might actually encompass.

After that moment, though, Myka just took the Farnsworth from Trailer. Worrying that they were going to be ratted out by a dog? Really? Sighing at her own goofiness, she activated the communication device, revealing Claudia on the other end. "Hey, Claude, what's up?"

Helena moved in behind Myka. "Hullo, darling. Is everything alright?"

Claudia looked between the two of them, then went silent - probably weighing the amount of time it had taken them to answer her and combining it with the fact that they were alone - before grimacing and turning supremely apologetic. "Crap. I did it again, didn't I?"

Helena, never one to be shy or play coy, just smirked. "No worries, darling - we were quite finished, at least for the moment."

Claudia choked a little at that, and Myka could hear Steve start laughing from somewhere offscreen. Resisting the urge to facepalm - and praying it would be a good long while before Helena decided to over-share like that with Pete - Myka tried to steer the conversation back on course. "You needed something, Claude?"

"Right," Claudia said, clearing her throat a little. "Weather report says you've got a mondo snowstorm headed your way - we're talking huge charge and could last for days. You guys need to batten down the hatches and make sure you're okay to get snowed in til we get back."

If it seemed odd for Claudia to track the weather back home while traveling, it really wasn't - Artifacts, (and sometimes the Warehouse that sheltered them) responded to any shift in the energy around them, including weather systems. The Warehouse's built-in suppression system managed to keep things on a pretty even keel, but they'd all learned from painful experience that it wasn't foolproof, and that it was best to add in a few other safeguards.

Once Myka and Helena said goodbye to Claudia and Steve, it didn't take very long to get those safeguards active again - Myka and Claudia had done an inspired job of creating and implementing them. It did take a little longer than it normally would have, but only because Myka wanted to be sure Helena knew how it all worked, from checking the weather report to actually switching everything on.

After they were certain the Warehouse was secured and ready, Myka and Helena headed back to the bed and breakfast with Trailer in tow to make sure the house was equally prepared for the impending snowstorm. A quick check confirmed that everything was properly sealed up against bad weather - not surprising, as they usually just left everything that way during the winter to save time - but also confirmed that they needed a few last items just in case they did get snowed in for several days.

Myka and Helena even had time to stop for lunch in Univille while they did their shopping - they didn't exactly dally, as weather was never entirely predictable, but the few minutes they took to simply sit and enjoy a meal together were the closest thing they'd ever had to an actual date. They discussed that oversight as they ate, and even came up with a few ideas for when they both had some spare time.

The only obvious change in the weather by the time they returned home an hour or two later was that the wind had picked up a bit and the temperature had dropped a little more than was usual for early afternoon. The skies were still cloudless, though, and the afternoon sun glinted invitingly off the snow blanketing both the bed and breakfast and its grounds - with Leena's expert upkeep, the entire image was perfect enough for any winter storybook.

Myka, unable to resist, surreptitiously gathered up a handful of snow as she stepped out of the car - she let Helena trail in front of her as they walked around to the trunk to retrieve their purchases, using the time to form a nearly perfect snowball. Helena, it seemed, had had much the same idea, because they both turned and tossed snowballs at each other at exactly the same moment.

This, of course, led to a running snowball fight across the front yard, both of them laughing and shrieking with an abandon they probably wouldn't have displayed around any of the others. At one point, Helena feinted left instead of the more predictable right, using the distraction to slip in under Myka's guard and tackle her, knocking Myka flat on her back in the snow. They wrestled around for a moment, exchanging a few kisses, but the snow was too cold and wet to be comfortable rolling around in for long.

They were laughing and breathless as they dashed back into the house with their bags, pausing only to get as much snow as possible off their coats and boots first. Once they got inside, Helena sent Myka to start the fire in the living room, while she herself started putting things away - Helena had insisted on picking up a few things by herself while in town, refusing to divulge anything about what she'd purchased or what she planned to do with it.

Myka lit the fire as requested, then decided to cozy up the living room even further, lighting a few candles and turning on the tree lights before starting up some soft Christmas music. She and Helena were snowed in at home - or would be shortly, anyway - but 'snowed in at home' took on a whole new meaning when 'home' was a wonderfully romantic bed and breakfast that they had all to themselves.

Helena seemed pleased with the end result of Myka's efforts when she walked into the room a few minutes later. Myka, stretched out on the blankets she'd tossed in front of the fireplace, was equally pleased with the fruits of Helena's secretive labors - large cups of mulled wine that filled the air with the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

It was the perfect antidote to the chill they'd both acquired while playing in the snow, and the perfect complement to the cozy scene Myka had created. They curled up together as they sipped at the spiced port, lounging comfortably amongst the pillows Myka had also thought to grab. There wasn't much conversation, but that seemed to suit them both just fine - they'd never gotten much of a chance before now to simply enjoy being alone together, and they'd never really needed words to communicate the important things.

It was Helena who finally broke the silence as she toyed idly with one of Myka's curls. "Myka... about this morning, in the library..."

Helena wanted to make sure that Myka hadn't felt pressured or overwhelmed by their little game earlier, but the grin that spread across Myka's face at the memory was all the reassurance she needed - clearly, neither of them had any regrets on that score. Normally, Helena would have been a little anxious that things seemed to be going so unaccountably well between herself and Myka, but she'd learned the hard way to simply accept good fortune when it found her.

Myka, mistaking Helena's silence for anxiousness, reached out to take her hand. "I'm good, Helena, I promise - great, actually. I haven't been this happy since... well, in a very long time."

She squeezed Helena's hand then, meaning only to reassure her, but even that simple gesture quickly turned into something else as the passion they'd managed to bank earlier flared to life again at the contact. They closed the gap between them as they kissed again - had they ever even truly stopped? - only this time, everything was different.

The raw hunger in that kiss set off a storm of lust, pure and uncomplicated, that rolled over them both, removing any lingering doubt or hesitation. Helena wrested control back first, surfacing from her haze to find Myka sprawled beneath her, naked from the waist up as she writhed under Helena's touch.

She was every bit as beautiful as Helena had imagined, and then some - knowing Myka, though, she was probably completely unaware of her appeal, or of the effect the mere sight of her could have on others. Helena, grinning a little, knew that only a very thorough display of her own appreciation would change that - leaning down, she started that display by taking an already-pebbled nipple into her mouth as her fingers worked its mate.

Helena lingered as long as she could there, switching back and forth so that neither breast was neglected - she'd always been a breast girl, really, and she suspected that everyone was too, whether they realized it or not - before she widened her exploration, savoring the taste and texture of Myka's skin and the shifting of her muscles as she mapped out every visible inch of Myka's torso. Inevitably, though, she reached that point where she'd either have to continue on or stop altogether.

Myka reached out for Helena as the other woman pulled back a little. "I'm okay. Please don't stop."

A quick glance at Myka's face showed that, while flushed and understandably breathless, she was fully in control of her faculties. Backing things up a little, Helena planted a trail of kisses down Myka's stomach, smiling to herself as she felt the muscles there tense and shift in response - she continued the trail of kisses along the skin revealed as she slowly peeled off Myka's jeans and boyshorts.

Myka gave a slight murmur of protest as Helena pulled away long enough to fully remove both items, but was quickly distracted again as Helena began working her way back up Myka's leg. Helena started skipping back and forth between both legs as she got higher up, teasing the sensitive skin of Myka's inner thighs - by the time she started exploring the damp folds at the juncture of those thighs, Myka was squirming in earnest. Myka wasn't particularly loud or vocal, even with no one else nearby, but her quiet gasps and moans made it clear enough that she was enjoying herself.

She went still and silent, though, as Helena's tongue found her center, hips canting upward as her hands clenched at the blankets. Myka didn't stay that way for long - apparently not one to simply lie back, quiescent, she shifted and moved to match Helena stroke for stroke. Helena, caught up in Myka's responsiveness, was tempted to push harder and faster, but she forced herself to keep to her steady, rhythmic pace - this was her first true taste of the woman she'd wanted for years now, and it was not to be rushed.

One of Myka's hands tangled itself in Helena's hair as Myka got increasingly closer to the edge, urging subtle adjustments here and there - Helena couldn't help smirking about that a little, even as she hoped she wasn't going to regret it in a moment or two. Fortunately, it all worked out just fine - Myka managed to relax her grip on Helena's hair at the last possible second, even as her orgasm slammed through her without warning.

Helena, having been denied the sight earlier, shifted to using her fingers just long enough to get a glimpse of Myka's face as she came - it was only a brief glimpse, but that was still plenty of time to sear the image into Helena's memory. No matter what Fate threw at them next, that image was hers and hers alone now.

Myka paused only long enough to catch her breath before turning the tables on her lover. She didn't have Helena's experience, but she was an exceedingly fast learner with an eidetic memory, and she made quite an impressive showing for herself. Helena, for her part, simply found herself flying to pieces before she even really knew what hit her, undone by Myka's surprisingly wicked tongue and fingers.

They both lay there in companionable silence afterward, trying to formulate the words to discuss what had just happened, or perhaps just deciding if those words were even necessary to begin with. Sleep entered the room stealthily during that silence, weighing their eyelids down between one heartbeat and the next.

"Agent Wells. Agent Bering."

Myka and Helena came instantly awake at the unmistakable sound of Mrs. Frederick's voice - fortunately, they'd either fallen asleep already under the blankets, or crawled under them while sleeping. Myka, face bright red, struggled to say something - anything - at all, but to no avail, so she moved on to securing a blanket around herself. Helena did the same, though she seemed not the least bit embarrassed - much like Mrs. Frederick, who hardly appeared to have noticed the situation at all.

"Hullo, Irene," Helena said with a smile, making one last adjustment to her blanket as Myka just gaped at her. No one - except maybe Artie or Leena - dared to be so familiar with the Warehouse's Caretaker.

Mrs. Frederick didn't seem to mind in the slightest - the corners of her mouth might even have twitched a little in something resembling a smile as she nodded her acknowledgment of the greeting. "Helena. I see you're making yourself comfortable..."

Myka's face turned even redder - if that was possible - but Helena just grinned cheekily. "I'm settling in quite well, thank you. Is everything alright?"

Helena's sudden shift into 'agent mode' carried Myka with it, and any lingering embarrassment faded - truth be told, they'd all ended up in far odder, more discomfiting situations than this one in the course of completing a mission. Sudden, surprise visits from Mrs. Frederick seldom ever brought good news, and remembering that made Myka's stomach tighten with a flare of anxiety.

Mrs. Frederick actually smiled then, which was a tad discomfiting all on its own. It was a genuine, unfettered smile, though, and both agents were able to relax a little. "I'm only here to deliver a message to Agent Wells - good news, for a change. After much deliberation, the Regents have chosen to follow Agent Nielsen's recommendation - as well as my own - and reinstate her, effective immediately."

Apparently, Helena hadn't been kidding when she'd told Myka that she and Mrs. Frederick had developed a good professional rapport during her time away - that was the only reason why Mrs. Frederick would be there in person with an announcement that could easily have waited until after the holidays. Myka suddenly found herself kind of glad she was stuck hiding behind that blanket - had she been clothed, she might have done something horribly awkward, like hug Mrs. Frederick for her thoughtfulness.

Helena confirmed that her own make-shift garment was secure, then rose to approach Mrs. Frederick, one hand extended in front of her. "Thank you, Irene."

Mrs. Frederick smiled slightly again - probably setting some sort of record - and her eyes were unusually warm as she shook Helena's hand. "Don't thank me, Helena - you've earned it."

Releasing Helena's hand, Mrs. Frederick took a tiny step back and re-assumed her mantle of Warehouse Caretaker. "One last thing, Agent Wells - you are being officially assigned to work with Agents Bering and Lattimer."

Before Myka or Helena could voice their protest - that assignment meant they'd be breaking the Warehouse's fraternization policies - Mrs. Frederick held up a hand to stop them. "In light of the obviously positive influence you appear to have on each other, the Regents and I are more than willing to... overlook whatever the two of you choose to do together in private - provided, of course, that the only reports we receive about your behavior in the field are glowing accounts of your professionalism. Am I understood?"

Myka and Helena both immediately acknowledged their acceptance of those terms, which Mrs. Frederick observed with a twinkle in her eye that she couldn't quite hide. She chose to maintain a certain professional distance from the agents in her charge, but she still cared about them all very deeply. "If that's all, I think I'll leave the two of you to celebrate now."

By the time Myka and Helena confirmed that they had nothing to add, Mrs. Frederick was already gone. Helena flopped down onto the pillows near Myka, finally letting her excitement overtake her - it was infectious, and she and Myka were both babbling and hugging and crying as they tried to process the fact that there was literally nothing standing between them and the future they'd begun to envision.

The babbling and hugging and crying, of course, led to kissing and groping. Things hadn't gotten too far, though, before Helena let out a startled yelp. "Myka! Your hands are like ice!"

With the storm moving in, the temperature in the living room had dropped while they slept - the fire, barely even still embers by that point, hadn't done much to help. Now that attention had been called to the chill, there was no ignoring it, especially once their teeth began to chatter.

It was quickly decided that they should adjourn upstairs to a nice warm bed - but only after adjusting the thermostat so that the house would be warm again if they came back downstairs. The candles had all guttered out as they slept, leaving the room lit only by the glowing Christmas tree, so the only other thing they had to worry about was taking their clothes with them as they bolted for Myka's room.

The two women could have just put those clothes back on - even changing into pajamas instead would have done the trick - but that particular solution was nowhere near as interesting as the alternative they'd already decided on. Once upstairs, Myka and Helena crawled under the covers and stayed there as much as was humanly possible for the next three days - long after the inn had warmed up again...


	3. Auld Lang Syne

Chapter Summary: All in all, it wasn't a bad way to end one year, and start another...

{*****}

_We two have run about the braes,_  
_and pu'd the gowans fine._  
_And we've wandered many a weary step,_  
_since auld lang syne._

_For auld lang syne, my dear,_  
_for auld lang syne._  
_We'll take a cup of kindness yet,_  
_for auld lang syne._

Celtic Woman, _Auld Lang Syne_

{*****}

Myka and Helena's romantic idyll lasted until the early hours of New Year's Eve, when reality intruded at the ungodly hour of four in the morning - specifically, they were both yanked from a sound slumber by the ringing of Myka's cell phone. It was happy news, though, as Myka's sister Tracy was calling to let Myka know that she was in the very early stages of labor.

This was the announcement that Myka had been waiting on for months now, and she quickly began packing a bag with several days' worth of clothes as she talked with her sister - having planned ahead, she knew exactly what she wanted to bring with her, even on such short notice. Then she caught sight of Helena just sitting on the bed, grinning at her obvious excitement, and stopped dead in her tracks. "Hey, Trace? Can I call you back? I may need to bring someone with me, but I have to check on a couple things first."

It was four in the morning, not exactly the ideal time for this sort of conversation, but waiting until a more reasonable hour wasn't much of an option. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Myka reached out to take Helena's hand. "I want you to come with me to Colorado Springs, but I'll understand if you don't want to go."

Fortunately, they'd each given some private thought to the potentially tricky issue of telling Myka's family about Helena, even if they'd never actually shared those thoughts with each other. It made for a very short conversation: Helena was happy to go if her presence wouldn't cause any problems, Myka was confident that it wouldn't, and so they needed two plane tickets.

That decided, Myka called Tracy, who had clearly guessed that Myka had a new significant other she wanted to introduce to everyone - she was eager to meet whoever it was, from what Helena could gather, and didn't mind the somewhat awkward timing of the introduction. She sounded rather sweet and cheerful, actually, and Helena found herself agreeing with Myka's assessment that Tracy would be happy for them.

After that, they sort of fell into a whirlwind of preparation designed to get them to Colorado Springs as quickly and smoothly as possible. Being experienced last-minute travelers, they automatically divided up the necessary tasks without even needing to discuss it - Myka made the travel arrangements while Helena handled the other necessary phone calls to the rest of the Warehouse team, even as they both finished packing their bags. Fortunately, Artie would be home early, in just a few hours, and no special arrangements had to be made for Trailer - in truth, the dog just looked bored by all the hustle and bustle.

Helena and Myka actually made their flight with a few minutes to spare, largely due to the assistance of their Secret Service credentials - they'd never have made it through security in time without them. Neither woman was traveling on official business, strictly speaking, but no one was going to complain much if the subject ever came up - well, Artie might grumble for a minute or two if he found out, but that was about it.

Myka dozed through most of the four hour flight - Helena, who had somehow managed not to lose her love of travel, was too excited to follow her example, though she'd undoubtedly regret it later. They were halfway to Colorado Springs before Myka, in between naps, suddenly realized that they had completely forgotten to discuss something very, very important - the psychological effect the trip might have on Helena.

Or, rather, Myka had forgotten to bring it up - Helena had already weighed the issue before agreeing to go. Having lost her own child, being present during another child's birth was likely to be uncomfortable for Helena at best, if not actually painful at times - Helena, though, insisted that the good memories it brought up would outweigh anything else, as she considered Christina's birth to be one of the happiest days of her life.

She promised Myka that she would tell her if things became overwhelming, but she and Myka were both thinking the same thing - if she could get through this without the bad memories overwhelming the good ones, then she was further along in her recovery than she'd ever dared think was possible. It seemed like a bit much to ask, given how well everything else was going already, but Helena wasn't prepared to live her life hiding from anything that might cause her pain just because she was afraid of how she might react.

Besides, she was genuinely excited for Tracy - very little had ever been able to compare to the moment Helena had first held Christina in her arms, and there was no reason to believe that her own tragedy would be repeated. The one time Helena had ever been able to stand the company of other women - outside of the bedchamber, anyway - was when they had all gathered to lend their support to a fellow sister in childbed, which somehow allowed them all to transcend any petty female rivalries.

The sudden spate of preparations for their landing in Colorado Springs pulled Helena from her thoughts, which she was pleased to note had not turned dark on her. Myka, waking from another doze, studied Helena for a moment as if scrutinizing her mental state, then relaxed as she saw that Helena's happiness and enthusiasm were genuine. After that, Myka was less inclined to hide her own excitement, and that only made Helena smile all the more.

According to the message she left for Myka, Tracy had already moved into active labor and was now at the hospital, so Myka and Helena headed there after renting a car. Fortunately, Myka was already familiar with the hospital's location, and a bare minimum of traffic ensured that they arrived as swiftly as possible - though Helena secretly thought it would have been rather entertaining to see Myka's obsession with safe driving battle with her desire to be at her sister's side.

Helena was a little nervous about meeting Tracy - she herself would hardly have wanted to deal with new people under such circumstances - but needn't have worried, as the introductions went perfectly. Tracy was simultaneously very much like her sister, and not much like her at all - they shared the same general appearance and build, but Tracy, even in labor, appeared much more talkative and social than her older sibling.

Tracy was sweet, and gracious - far more so than Helena would ever have been in her place - gushing over Helena's accent and seeming genuinely interested in the small talk they were making. She also hadn't looked in the least bit surprised when Helena came trailing in behind Myka, and Helena was absolutely positive that she somehow *knew* even without being told - to her credit, Tracy didn't comment or pry, leaving it up to Myka and Helena to tell her in their own time.

Helena opted to let Myka be the one to tell her sister - it seemed the proper thing to do, somehow. To that end, she gave the sisters some privacy by allowing herself to be pulled away by Tracy's husband Kevin, who seemed to think that being an engineer meant that Helena would have some insight into the camera he'd brought to document the birth - Helena found him a little bland, but he doted on his wife and was clearly excited about the arrival of his first child, so she did her best to assist.

Tracy, now that they had relative privacy, just grinned happily at her sister. "She's gorgeous, Myka - and, my god, the way she looks at you! It's like you're the only thing in the world for her."

"How did you know?" Myka managed to say finally, caught off guard by how casually her sister was taking the whole thing.

That prompted another grin. "You aren't the only brain trust in the family, silly. It was kind of obvious - I called you at four in the morning, waking you up, and there was someone sleeping there with you. Once I heard a voice and realized that other person was female, the math was pretty easy to do."

Tracy reached out and squeezed Myka's hand. "I like her - I like the way she makes you smile. Mom and Dad will like her too, once they get over the surprise."

The only response Myka could muster was to grin like an idiot - for all their bickering, she and Tracy had always looked after each other - and it was probably just as well, as Kevin wandered back over, Helena in tow, wanting to show Tracy whatever new thing they'd figured out how to do with the camera. Helena and Myka shared a smile that confirmed what Helena had already surmised - Tracy knew they were together, and was actively supportive of them.

Tracy and Kevin invited them to stay and visit a while - Tracy's parents wouldn't be there until later - and they accepted. Helena found she actually enjoyed it, despite her expectations - everyone took turns reading to Tracy from a well-crafted novel that Helena hadn't yet read herself, or simply sat and chatted with each other about whatever came to mind. Tracy and Kevin's immediate acceptance of her far exceeded anything Helena could have predicted, and it made the entire thing much more comfortable for her than it would otherwise have been.

Even when they hit the first rough patch a little while later, it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. Kevin stepped out of the room to go take care of something, and Tracy used the opportunity to vent a little of her anxiety, commenting on how she had been so certain she was ready for the baby to just be born - right up until the moment she actually went into labor and things turned a little scary again.

Helena, thinking only to reassure Tracy, got a little careless with her words. "I remember the feeling all too well, darling. I spent those final weeks complaining to anyone who would listen that I was more than ready for the entire birthing process to be over with - once I went into labor, of course, I was absolutely petrified. I daresay my Christina didn't much care for the ordeal, either - she spent her first few minutes squalling with indignation at everything she'd endured to join us."

Tracy, startled, didn't bother to disguise her curiosity - the resultant question was entirely predictable, and nowhere near as innocuous as it seemed. "You have a daughter?"

An extremely awkward silence fell then as Myka and Helena exchanged glances. Helena, hand moving to play with her locket, finally managed, after several moments, to find a diplomatic answer to Tracy's question. "I'm afraid my Christina is no longer with us."

Helena's eyes were suspiciously bright, but her voice was steady enough. Even so, Myka had to check on her. "Helena-?"

Helena just cleared her throat and blinked slowly - her composure seemed genuine when she responded to Myka's concern. "I'm alright, darling."

Tracy, looking supremely apologetic, gave Helena's hand a quick squeeze. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

It was the same sort of selfless compassion that Myka often displayed, and it brought a genuine smile to Helena's face. "Think no more of it, darling - it actually feels good to talk about her from time to time."

By the time Kevin returned, things had more or less returned to normal - he never noticed any difference from when he'd first left. The afternoon continued on much as it had been before - reading, small talk, and whatever stories about Myka that Helena could coax out of Tracy - until evening came around and the prospective grandparents finally arrived.

Warren and Jeannie Bering didn't get there until about six in the evening - with the holidays apparently boosting sales at their bookstore, they had kept the business open as late as they could. Childbirth was not a quick process, especially with a first baby, and there'd really been no reason to rush over to the hospital when Tracy could keep them updated just as well by phone.

Of course, the Berings' arrival also meant that it was now time for a potentially uncomfortable conversation, and that fact tempered the family reunion with a certain underlying tension that was hard to miss. Tracy squeezed Myka's hand and murmured something in her ear - something reassuring, no doubt - then Myka stood up and asked her parents to join her out in the hallway.

Given that Myka and Helena were standing there holding hands, there wasn't much about Myka's announcement that came as a surprise. Jeannie Bering seemed to share Tracy's simple acceptance of the situation, and displayed a similar graciousness. Warren Bering wasn't overtly hostile - he accepted the news without comment, and even shook Helena's hand as they were introduced - but something in his eyes said that Helena could expect another, much more pointed conversation with him as soon as the moment allowed.

Tracy, apparently having a rather severe round of contractions, sent Kevin to fetch Myka and her mother. Myka hesitated, knowing that would leave Helena alone with her dad after they'd only just met, but Helena insisted she go to her sister. "Perhaps Mr. Bering and I could grab a cup of coffee, or some tea, while we wait - I haven't had any all day."

Warren Bering raised his eyebrows slightly, apparently impressed at Helena's decision to meet him head-on. He accepted her offer, though, and they walked in silence to the little coffee shop tucked away on another part of the floor - it was a bit odd, perhaps, but Helena had a feeling that she was going to end up liking Myka's father despite his current somewhat adversarial stance.

He certainly didn't waste any time on firing his opening salvo, holding back only until they were seated with their drinks at one of the coffee shop's tables. He also didn't waste his energy on false politesse. "So exactly how long have you been sleeping with my daughter?"

Before Helena could respond, Warren moved to clarify his position. "Don't mistake my meaning - I don't give a damn whether you're a man or a woman."

Warren Bering was nothing if not direct, Helena had to give him that - it was a trait that he'd passed on to his daughters, and one Helena had always rather appreciated. She took a moment to sip at her tea before replying to his previous statement. "So I assume that your problem with me is somehow personal, then?"

"My problem," Warren began, pausing to take a swig of his coffee, "is you sending my daughter home heartbroken - so heartbroken that she ran rather than face the mess you left."

He smiled a little at Helena's blink of surprise. "Oh, I know that was you. I have no damned idea what happened, of course, but I don't really need to - I just need to know that you can promise me it won't happen again."

Helena took a moment to formulate her response, continuing to sip at her tea while she did so. "Your daughter and I have known each other for some time now, and I treasure her affection more than I could possibly express. Things did indeed get... complicated, which I will gladly own up to my part in, but the situation has changed greatly for the better since then."

She paused only long enough for one last sip of her tea before firing her parting shot. "Your daughter has decided to forgive me, and has allowed me to win back her trust. While I'd like to earn your approval if at all possible, hers is the only one I absolutely have to have."

Warren made a noise indicating amusement, approval, or perhaps both, before raising his coffee cup in mock salute. "You'll do, Wells - you'll do."

His demeanor shifted after that - he wasn't exactly friendly, but he at least seemed accept the idea of Helena seeing his daughter. He even joked a bit with her as they ordered a round of hot drinks for everyone else, which led to a surprisingly amiable discussion of Victorian literature that lasted for quite some time.

Myka was certainly relieved to see Helena getting along with her father - it always took a while for him to fully warm up to people, but Helena seemed to have made a good start. With that resolved, everyone settled in to wait, taking turns keeping Tracy company - those left waiting outside kept each other amused in much the same way, reading, talking, or playing the games Jeannie Bering had thought to bring in from the car.

Given the early start to the day - and the late end to the previous one - there was just no way Myka could stay awake through hours of endless waiting. By ten that night, she was out cold, using Helena's leg for a pillow as Helena played chess with Warren Bering - they all just let her sleep, though Helena did eventually end up finding her something else to use as a pillow so that she could check in on Tracy in Myka's stead.

When Helena realized it was approaching midnight, she decided to wake Myka, assuming that the other woman would still want to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Before she could do that, though, the Farnsworth started blaring, startling Myka from her nap - fortunately, Jeannie and Warren Bering were passingly familiar with the device, which saved some awkward explanations.

It turned out to be Pete on the Farnsworth, wanting to be sure that Myka and Helena could still watch the ball drop somehow - his notion of using the Farnsworth to show them the television screen back at the bed and breakfast was actually both sweet and quite clever. It wasn't exactly the same as being back in South Dakota with everyone, but it was close enough.

Helena and Myka exchanged the traditional kiss as midnight hit and the ball dropped, Pete cheering and cat-calling even though he couldn't see anything with the Farnsworth pointed away from him. They were all laughing about it when Kevin came rushing out to tell them that the baby had just been born - a healthy little girl whose loud, aggrieved cries made them all chuckle harder.

Helena told Myka to go ahead without her - she'd be along momentarily after she finished checking on everything back home. It ended up taking longer than she expected - Claudia, in particular, just would not let her end the conversation - and she was the last one into the delivery room to see the new baby.

Myka was beaming as she held her niece, and Helena took a moment to enjoy the sight. They were far, far away from any discussion of starting a family, of course, but Helena couldn't help thinking that it wasn't as strange a thought as she'd have expected it to be - it might actually be a conversation worth having some day, if things continued going as well as they had been, and that was something Helena had never expected to find herself thinking.

Peering over Myka's shoulder at the baby - who was completely oblivious to all the attention she was receiving - Helena glanced over at Tracy, pleased to note that the new mother seemed tired but otherwise quite well. "Do you have a name picked out for her yet?"

Tracy glanced over at Myka, who nodded encouragement for her to continue speaking. "We'd like to name her Christina - if that's okay with you."

Helena couldn't hold back her smile as she took the baby from Myka, a little surprised at how happy and lighthearted she felt holding the newborn. "I think that sounds perfect - don't you, Christina?"

The baby shifted and fussed as if recognizing and accepting the choice of name, and they all chuckled despite knowing it meant no such thing. Helena handed Christina back to her mother, then took Myka's hand in her own as they watched Tracy and Kevin fuss over their new daughter.

All in all, it wasn't a bad way to end one year, and start another...


End file.
